Christmas, word by word
Christmas brings its own vocabulary: words like mistletoe, nutcracker and chimney turn up in songs, stories and cards every December, but rarely the rest of the year. A word search is a gentle way to meet them. Children read each word in the list, then hunt for it letter by letter in the grid.
Below the puzzle you will find a short meaning for every word, five Christmas facts to share while you work, and ready-made Medium and Hard puzzles if you just want to print and go.
Did you know?
Snowflakes almost always have six sides or six arms, because of the way water molecules link together as they freeze.
Reindeer are the only kind of deer where both males and females grow antlers.
Tchaikovsky's ballet The Nutcracker was first performed in St Petersburg, Russia, in 1892.
The first tinsel, made in Germany in the 1600s, was cut from thin strips of real silver.
Mistletoe grows on the branches of trees such as apple and oak, and takes water and nutrients from the tree it lives on.
Words in this puzzle 32
Christmas list 20 words
- candle
- A stick of wax with a string wick in the middle that gives light when it burns.
- carols
- Cheerful songs sung at Christmas, sometimes by groups going from house to house.
- chimney
- A tall pipe that carries smoke from a fire up and out through the roof.
- cocoa
- A powder made from roasted cacao beans, used to make chocolate drinks and cakes.
- gingerbread
- A sweet, spicy biscuit or cake flavoured with ginger, often cut into people shapes.
- holly
- An evergreen bush with prickly, shiny leaves and red berries.
- lights
- Strings of small bulbs used to decorate trees, windows and houses.
- mistletoe
- A plant with white berries that grows on tree branches. The berries are not safe to eat.
- mittens
- Gloves that cover four fingers together, with a separate space for the thumb.
- North Pole
- The most northern point on Earth, in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. In stories, it is where Santa lives.
- nutcracker
- A tool for cracking nut shells. Wooden soldier nutcrackers are a popular decoration.
- ornament
- A decoration, such as a glass ball or small figure, hung on a Christmas tree.
- presents
- Gifts given to people, often wrapped in paper and tied with ribbon.
- reindeer
- A deer from the cold far north. Both males and females grow antlers.
- sleigh
- A sledge pulled by animals, such as horses or reindeer, that glides over snow.
- snowflake
- A single ice crystal that falls as snow. Most have six arms or six sides.
- snowman
- A figure built from big balls of packed snow, often with a scarf and a carrot nose.
- stocking
- A big decorated sock hung up at Christmas for small presents to be put inside.
- tinsel
- Long, shiny, glittering strands used to decorate trees and rooms.
- wreath
- A ring of leaves, branches or flowers, often hung on a front door.
Little elves list 12 words
- bell
- A hollow metal object that rings when it is shaken or struck.
- bow
- A knot with two loops, used to tie ribbon on presents.
- card
- A folded piece of stiff paper with a picture and a message, sent for special days.
- elf
- A small, magical helper from stories. In Christmas tales, elves make toys.
- gift
- Something you give to someone to show you care, without asking for anything back.
- hat
- Something you wear on your head, for warmth or for fun.
- joy
- A feeling of great happiness.
- sled
- A small vehicle on runners for sliding down snowy hills.
- snow
- Soft white flakes of frozen water that fall from clouds when it is very cold.
- star
- A shining point of light in the night sky. A star shape often sits on top of a tree.
- toy
- Something children play with, such as a doll, ball or puzzle.
- tree
- A tall plant with a woody trunk. At Christmas, an evergreen tree is decorated indoors.
A different Christmas puzzle every time
December worksheets run out fast. Between the class party, the last week of term and cousins visiting, you can easily need a stack of holiday puzzles. This page builds a new Christmas word search every time you press the button, from an original list of 20 festive words: reindeer, gingerbread, mistletoe, nutcracker and more. There are no movie characters or brand names, just the season.
Pick a sample to start: the little elves puzzle uses 12 short words in a 10×10 grid with words running only across and down. The festive puzzle hides all 20 words diagonally too, and North Pole hard sends words in every direction, including backwards.
Ideas for the holidays
- Print a different puzzle for each child at the kids’ table so nobody can copy.
- Add your family’s names or traditions to the list for a personalised placemat.
- Use it as a quiet activity while the class waits for the party to start.
- Fold one into a holiday card as a small extra.
Printing
Every puzzle has an editable title and a name line, and the answer key prints on its own page with each word outlined. Choose Letter or A4 above the preview. The puzzle is made in your browser, so it works even on a slow school network once the page has loaded.
Questions people ask
What age is a Christmas word search good for?
The Little elves puzzle (12 short words, across and down only) suits ages 5–7. The 20-word puzzles with diagonals suit ages 8 and up, and the Hard version with backwards words challenges older children and adults.
Why do some words read backwards?
In Hard puzzles, words can run in all eight directions, including right-to-left and bottom-to-top. It makes them much harder to spot.
Do the ready-made PDFs have answer keys?
Yes. Each PDF has the puzzle on page 1 and the answer key on page 2, in US Letter or A4.
Can I add my family's names to the puzzle?
Yes. Edit the word list in the generator. Names, pets and family traditions make a lovely personalised placemat.
Are holly and mistletoe safe around children and pets?
Both look festive, but their berries can make people and pets ill if eaten. Hang them out of reach, or use artificial ones in a classroom.